The Ridgecrest Optimist Club has its sights set high for the coming year. It plans on adding new programs and partnerships and keeping up with what's already in place. And, the group had kind words for one of its founders, Howard Auld.

Club President Jason Jordan said at its meeting Monday that it is always looking for new projects. It is hoping to work with the Ridgecrest Police Department on a children's program. It already holds a Horse Day for local kids. The day is an introduction for the youngsters to ranch life and animals. The day is held at Candee Coffee's C and C Training Stables. The club sponsors Christmas programs and the local fire departments.

The group and some of its more crafty members filled and donated and hand-made Christmas stockings to more than 70 kids in the community. The club is currently in the middle of its chocolate bar sale, currently ready to buy at Warren's Automotive. The club is looking for more places and businesses willing to sell them.

The club welcomed its newest member at Monday's meeting, Rusty Warren of Warren's Automotive.

"My wife and I have been wanting to join for quite a while," Warren said. "We really like what you guys do with the kids."

The club also wanted to recognize Santa and his annual helper, Bernard the Elf. Bernard pulls down a 4.0 grade-point average. Bernard, like the club's Santa, want to remain as professional and true to form as possible, so they did not want their names given. Bernard was also praised as beginning the next generation of club members. Many clubs, from Kiwanis to the Optimist, are all having trouble finding new, younger members to join their respective causes.

There was some sad news, even at a gathering of optimists. The local club has lost one its founding members, as has the community with the passing of Howard Auld in December. One member called him the most patriotic individual he had ever met.

Auld was a constant contributor to the community and was constantly looking at the positive side of things. Another member called him a terrific example of what a "resident" of a community is. There are many people who simply live in the city, but there are few that can actually be called a resident; someone who contributes for the betterment of the community, not just personal gain.

One of the members said that even though he's not here anymore, he will always be a part of the club. One member shared a story of Auld at a Desert Empire Fairgrounds board meeting.

The meeting was one of the most heated and tumultuous the member had ever attended. The bickering was over whether or not to recall a board member who had not been present in months. Then Auld spoke.

Page 2 of 2 - He was not a chatty person and was known to let his beloved wife Barbara speak for the both of them. But on this occasion, Howard was clearly upset by the meeting and said that he didn't want to see so much feuding over the matter. He said the board member would soon be done with its term anyway.

That quieted the room. He was also the dissenting vote of the board to remove the member, who eventually rode out the term and was no longer on the board in a few months.

For more information about the Ridgecrest Optimist Club and its events, find them on Facebook.